Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

In the two-and-a-half years since the October 7th attacks, political observers have witnessed a substantial change in American sentiment toward Israel. Josh Kraushaar, editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider, joins Henry to consider the unsettling development and the implications of the breakdown in bipartisan support for our beleaguered ally. 

Plus: Returned from Hungary, Henry has a few observations that might be material to President Trump as his approval rating sags. And we take a look at a pair of dueling spots from the CA-40 primary to highlight the dominant theme of 2026 Republican advertising.

Henry's in Hungary this week, calling in from Budapest to detail the mood around the Danube ahead of an election that's drawing unprecedented attention from the rest of the West. Tune in to get up to speed on Viktor Orbán, the longtime leader of the governing Fidesz Party, and his frenzied race against Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz member who now leads the suddenly invigorated Tisza Party.

Given the emphasis on national elections in our hyper-partisan era, one might forgive young people their ignorance about the workings of our many-layered federal system. But this week's guest, Chaz Nuttycombe, isn't your typical youth. He joins Henry to discuss his election site, State Navigate, which brings exceptional election analysis to the granular level.   

Plus, Henry looks at the presidential approval and generic ballot numbers from April 2018, and...let's just say it's time for a serious chat. We also examine ads from two cunning MAGA Republicans in Kentucky, exploring how they imply close ties to the president (who hasn't endorsed either of them).

Some follow elections because they're in the business, others out of enthusiasm for the whole democracy thing, and if you've been around long enough, you can appreciate how much easier it is to track the races that matter—big and small, all over the world. One resource that's upped the ante for right-leaning political data fanatics is RRH Elections, and Henry sits down with two of RRH's contributors to hear how and why they built this top-notch site.

Plus, Trump's approval ratings have hit a new low for this term. Tune in to hear what's driving the latest dip and what it could mean for the midterms. Stay until the end to hear Henry's review of three noteworthy ads from the Democratic camp.

Thanks to the ballooning interest in political polling over the last few decades, Americans can closely track daily changes in matters like the president's approval rating. But it is the rare outfit like the Rainey Center that digs beyond basic questions to provide a substantive survey of American sentiments. This week, Henry sits down with Russ Walker, Rainey's Vice President of Policy, to discuss their recent polling reports on attitudes about affordability and the American Dream, immigration enforcement, and artificial intelligence. 

Plus, Henry breaks down the establishment Democrats' victory over restless progressives in Chicagoland, along with responses to this year's many foreign policy adventures. 

Lastly, we look at a couple of splendidly creative Republican ads.